Asia Rugby Championship (ARC) to implement TMO Protocols

Asia Rugby is implementing for the first time some World Rugby Television Match Official (TMO) protocols in its Asia Rugby Championship (ARC), which begins in Korea this Saturday.

Over the next 6 Saturdays, TMO’s with prior experience in tournaments such as the 6 Nations and Super Rugby will be on hand to assist referees with decisions relating to in-goal.

Asia Rugby Referee Manager, Alan Whitcombe said “After receiving confirmation of broadcast capability and having received advice from World Rugby, we have decided to take our pinnacle competition to a new level by appointing TMO’s for the first time this year. We are lucky to have personnel in the region with TMO experience in professional and elite Rugby whom we can appoint.

Our ARC referees were briefed on the process by World Rugby’s Craig Joubert at our ARC Referee Camp in Hong Kong on 1 April and I look forward to seeing how this will improve the match officiating service we provide to our Top 3 unions.

For this first year, which is basically our own trial of our TV technology capabilities for the TMO protocols, the TMO will not advise on potential acts of foul play. It is our intention to move to that level next year, when ARC 2018 will be a qualifying tournament for Rugby World Cup 2019”.